Car statistics
Volkswagen Golf GTI statistics
How many Volkswagen Golf GTIs are still on the road in Great Britain, how many are declared off the road, and how the GTI compares with other versions of the Volkswagen Golf. Built from DVLA licensing records, with MOT results for the Volkswagen Golf.
- Licensed in Great Britain 39,831 +1.0% on a year earlier
- Declared SORN 19,644 Off the road, not taxed
- Peak year 2001 111,762 licensed
- Share of Volkswagen Golfs 5.8% of those licensed or SORN
- New registrations in 2025 2,335 registered for the first time
- Most common fuel Petrol 99.9% of those licensed
How many Volkswagen Golf GTIs are left in Great Britain?
There were 39,831 Volkswagen Golf GTIs licensed in Great Britain at the end of June 2026, and a further 19,644 declared off the road (SORN). The licensed count is 64.4% lower than its peak of 111,762 in 2001.
Volkswagen Golf GTIs licensed and SORN in Great Britain
This data records SORN from 2007, so the SORN line starts there.
| Year | Licensed | Declared SORN |
|---|---|---|
| 1994 | 89,369 | – |
| 1995 | 91,673 | – |
| 1996 | 98,340 | – |
| 1997 | 104,076 | – |
| 1998 | 103,809 | – |
| 1999 | 108,839 | – |
| 2000 | 110,777 | – |
| 2001 | 111,762 | – |
| 2002 | 109,134 | – |
| 2003 | 103,884 | – |
| 2004 | 97,777 | – |
| 2005 | 96,328 | – |
| 2006 | 92,979 | – |
| 2007 | 90,043 | 10,169 |
| 2008 | 85,837 | 10,602 |
| 2009 | 81,749 | 10,515 |
| 2010 | 76,849 | 10,956 |
| 2011 | 70,945 | 11,704 |
| 2012 | 65,733 | 11,270 |
| 2013 | 60,529 | 12,864 |
| 2014 | 56,422 | 12,805 |
| 2015 | 52,000 | 14,348 |
| 2016 | 48,438 | 15,815 |
| 2017 | 47,351 | 17,069 |
| 2018 | 45,769 | 17,527 |
| 2019 | 41,866 | 18,253 |
| 2020 | 39,963 | 18,883 |
| 2021 | 39,459 | 19,166 |
| 2022 | 38,743 | 19,488 |
| 2023 | 37,880 | 19,905 |
| 2024 | 38,343 | 19,447 |
| 2025 | 38,781 | 19,880 |
| 2026 | 39,831 | 19,644 |
Source:DfT / DVLA End of June 2026 Updated
Fuel type
Source:DfT / DVLA End of June 2026 Updated
Volkswagen Golf GTI registrations over time
First registrations of Volkswagen Golf GTIs in Great Britain were highest in 2001, when this data begins, at 8,308. In 2025, 2,335 were registered.
Registered for the first time, by year
| Year | First registrations |
|---|---|
| ’01 | 8,308 |
| ’02 | 5,821 |
| ’03 | 3,783 |
| ’04 | 625 |
| ’05 | 6,151 |
| ’06 | 5,015 |
| ’07 | 3,565 |
| ’08 | 2,473 |
| ’09 | 1,974 |
| ’10 | 1,680 |
| ’11 | 1,307 |
| ’12 | 1,131 |
| ’13 | 957 |
| ’14 | 1,681 |
| ’15 | 1,303 |
| ’16 | 1,666 |
| ’17 | 4,341 |
| ’18 | 2,904 |
| ’19 | 88 |
| ’20 | 1,058 |
| ’21 | 2,300 |
| ’22 | 1,024 |
| ’23 | 1,221 |
| ’24 | 2,046 |
| ’25 | 2,335 |
Source:DfT / DVLA 2001 to 2025 Updated
Volkswagen Golf GTI engine sizes and fuel types
Of the 39,885 Volkswagen Golf GTIs licensed in the UK at the end of 2025, 72.0% have an engine of 1,901cc to 2,000cc, and 18.5% have an engine of 2,001cc to 2,100cc. The share with an engine of 1,901cc to 2,000cc has grown from 50.3% in 2014 to 72.0%.
Engine sizes, end of 2025
DVLA records engine size in 100cc bands.
| Engine size | Share of those licensed |
|---|---|
| 1,901cc to 2,000cc 28,732 licensed | 72.0% |
| 2,001cc to 2,100cc 7,394 licensed | 18.5% |
| 1,701cc to 1,800cc 3,066 licensed | 7.7% |
| 1,801cc to 1,900cc 380 licensed | 1.0% |
| Other sizes 313 licensed | 0.8% |
Source:DfT / DVLA End of 2014 to end of 2025 Updated
| Engine size | Fuel | Licensed | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1,901–2,000cc | Petrol | 28,725 | 72.0% |
| 2,001–2,100cc | Petrol | 7,394 | 18.5% |
| 1,701–1,800cc | Petrol | 3,063 | 7.7% |
Engine sizes, 2014 to 2025
Share of those licensed at the end of each year, for the most common sizes.
| Year | 1,901–2,000cc | 2,001–2,100cc | 1,701–1,800cc | 1,801–1,900cc |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2014 | 50.3% | 31.5% | 11.2% | 6.7% |
| 2015 | 51.2% | 31.4% | 11.2% | 5.8% |
| 2016 | 52.8% | 31.0% | 11.1% | 4.8% |
| 2017 | 57.1% | 29.0% | 10.0% | 3.5% |
| 2018 | 60.0% | 27.4% | 9.4% | 2.8% |
| 2019 | 60.5% | 27.5% | 9.3% | 2.3% |
| 2020 | 62.1% | 26.8% | 8.9% | 1.8% |
| 2021 | 64.9% | 25.0% | 8.3% | 1.4% |
| 2022 | 66.4% | 23.9% | 7.9% | 1.2% |
| 2023 | 67.9% | 22.7% | 7.6% | 1.1% |
| 2024 | 69.5% | 20.6% | 8.1% | 1.0% |
| 2025 | 72.0% | 18.5% | 7.7% | 1.0% |
Source:DfT / DVLA End of 2014 to end of 2025 Updated
United Kingdom figures from DfT table VEH0220 (licensed cars at the end of each year, SORN excluded), so they differ slightly from the Great Britain counts elsewhere on this page. This covers cars DVLA records under this version’s name only; the Volkswagen Golf page covers every version. How we use engine sizes.
Volkswagen Golf GTI fuel economy and CO2
The Vehicle Certification Agency’s new car data lists the Volkswagen Golf GTI from 2000, when the data begins, and still lists it. On the WLTP test (listings 2025 to 2026), official combined fuel economy for its petrol versions ranges from 36.7 to 39.8 mpg, with CO2 of 161 to 174 g/km. On the older NEDC test (listings 2000 to 2018), official combined fuel economy for its petrol and diesel versions ranges from 34.4 to 53.3 mpg, with CO2 of 139 to 194 g/km.
| Engine and fuel | Combined mpg | CO2 g/km | Listed | Euro standard | Versions |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2.0 petrol | 36.7–39.8 | 161–174 | 2025–2026 | Euro 6 | 2 |
Older NEDC figures, listed 2000 to 2018 (3 engine and fuel groups)
| Engine and fuel | Combined mpg | CO2 g/km | Listed | Euro standard | Versions |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1.8 petrol | 34.9–35.3 | 192–194 | 2000–2004 | Euro 2 to Euro 4 | 8 |
| 2.0 petrol | 34.4–47.1 | 139–194 | 2000–2018 | Euro 3 to Euro 6 | 42 |
| 1.9 diesel | 53.3 | 143 | 2000 | Euro 3 | 2 |
Source:VCA July 2000 to 15 September 2026 Updated
- Official figures from laboratory type-approval tests. VCA says they may not be achieved in real-world driving, and should not be used to rank cars with similar figures.
- NEDC figures (in VCA’s data until September 2018) and WLTP figures (from the 2019 guide) come from different tests, so they are shown separately and should not be compared.
- VCA’s data has no Volkswagen versions for 2019 to 2024, so the years listed may leave out years the Volkswagen Golf GTI was on sale.
- These are the VCA listings we could match to the Volkswagen Golf GTI by name. The Volkswagen Golf page covers every version.
- Engine sizes are rounded to the nearest 0.1 litre. A version is one line in VCA’s data (description, gearbox, engine and fuel), counted once however many years it was listed. Matched from VCA’s model names “Golf”, “Golf 3/5 Door Hatchback”, “Golf 5 Door”, “New Golf”. How we use VCA’s figures.
Volkswagen Golf MOT reliability
In 2025, 75.0% of Volkswagen Golf MOT tests were passed first time, against 72.8% for all cars. Cars of the same ages pass 70.7% of the time, so the Volkswagen Golf does better than average for its age, by 4.3 points.
DVSA's MOT results name the model, not the version, so these figures cover all Volkswagen Golfs tested, the GTI among them. For the full breakdown, including defects in detail and results year by year, see the Volkswagen Golf page.
MOT first-time pass rate by age: Volkswagen Golf vs all cars
Each bar pair covers cars of the same age, so an older fleet does not count against the model.
| Vehicle age | Volkswagen Golf | All cars |
|---|---|---|
| 3 years | 91.9% | 89.5% |
| 4–5 years | 90.4% | 87.6% |
| 6–7 years | 86.5% | 83.0% |
| 8–10 years | 83.6% | 75.7% |
| 11–14 years | 71.9% | 65.5% |
| 15–19 years | 59.9% | 58.0% |
| 20+ years | 58.3% | 61.0% |
Source:DVSA,UK Motoring analysis 2025 Updated
Most common MOT failure categories
Suspension is the most common reason a Volkswagen Golf fails. A failed test can have defects in more than one category.
| Defect category | Share of failed tests |
|---|---|
| Suspension | 37.6% |
| Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment | 31.8% |
| Tyres | 25.1% |
| Brakes | 22.9% |
| Body, chassis, structure | 13.7% |
| Noise, emissions and leaks | 12.7% |
Source:DVSA,UK Motoring analysis 2025 Updated
Other versions of the Volkswagen Golf
Versions of the Volkswagen Golf with their own page. The Volkswagen Golf page covers all 899,678 licensed, whatever the version.
| Version | Licensed | SORN | Still registered |
|---|---|---|---|
| Volkswagen Golf GTI | 39,831 | 19,644 | – |
| Volkswagen Golf R | 36,065 | 1,168 | 85.3% |
| Volkswagen Golf R32 | 4,062 | 2,142 | 72.6% |
| Volkswagen Golf GTI Cabriolet | 821 | 1,871 | 50.4% |
| Volkswagen Golf Clipper Cabriolet | 784 | 1,661 | 50.4% |
| Volkswagen Golf GTI Edition 30 | 1,348 | 421 | 77.6% |
| Volkswagen Golf VR6 | 301 | 1,298 | 21.0% |
| Volkswagen Golf Cabriolet | 264 | 760 | 21.1% |
| Volkswagen Golf Avantgarde Cabriolet | 182 | 501 | 21.6% |
| Volkswagen Golf VR6 Highline | 130 | 498 | 33.0% |
| Volkswagen Golf Anniversary T | 235 | 285 | 64.7% |
| Volkswagen Golf Anniversary | 217 | 272 | 53.1% |
| Volkswagen Golf GL Cabriolet | 136 | 245 | 33.4% |
| Volkswagen Golf GTI Rivage | 121 | 196 | 59.4% |
| Volkswagen Golf GTI Sportline | 76 | 160 | 67.0% |
| Volkswagen Golf GTI Anniversary | 37 | 178 | 30.7% |
| Volkswagen Golf CC Cabriolet | 35 | 125 | 45.7% |
| Volkswagen Golf Syncro | 12 | 116 | 19.8% |
Data stories to read next
Data sources and methodology
| Figures | Source | Period | Records | Updated |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Licensed and SORN counts | Vehicle licensing statistics Department for Transport | End of June 2026 | 59,475 Volkswagen Golf GTI records (licensed and SORN) | 2 October 2026 |
| MOT results (whole model) | Anonymised MOT tests and results Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency Derived statistics UK Motoring | 2025 | 875,265 MOT tests | 15 September 2026 |
| Registered for the first time | Vehicle licensing statistics Department for Transport | 2001 to 2025 | – | 2 October 2026 |
- Figures cover Great Britain (England, Scotland and Wales). Northern Ireland is not included.
- Licensed counts are vehicles with a current tax or exemption at the end of each year (or the latest quarter). SORN counts are shown separately, from 2007.
- This version groups DVLA’s detailed model names “GOLF GTI”, “GOLF GTI (115 BHP)”, “GOLF GTI 16V”, “GOLF GTI AUTO”, “GOLF GTI TSI S-A”, “GOLF GTI S-A”, “GOLF GTI TSI”, “GOLF GTI 180 BHP”. Engine size, gearbox, number of doors and fuel are ignored, so every engine and gearbox counts together.
- First registrations count vehicles registered in Great Britain for the first time, including used imports.
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